But the expression on my face quickly changed. My cheeks heated up, a red hue spreading from my cheeks to my ears. "I... I can still walk on my own!" I shouted in a high-pitched voice, but my voice trembled instead. I didn't know if it was from pain... or from embarrassment.
As the boy turned slightly, his lips curved. But it wasn't a mocking smile. It was a faint, subtle smile, almost like... sympathy.
"No," he replied shortly, firmly. His tone left no room for argument. "If we walk for too long, the wound on your shoulder will worsen. I won't let you faint in the middle of the road."
I was locked in silence. My lips parted slightly, but not a single word managed to escape. I wanted to retort, wanted to curse, but those words... were swallowed. I could only stare at the boy's face from such a close distance.
My eyes traced the lines of the boy's face. Strong eyebrows, black eyes focused on the road ahead, and eyelashes that fluttered lightly with each blink. His breathing was steady and deep. I could feel his heartbeat through the chest that brushed against my arm—stable and strong, as if my body posed no significant burden to him.
I turned my face to the side, hoping to hide the red hue that was starting to creep across my face. But it felt impossible. The warmth of the boy's body was too close, too inviting. And strangely... I began to feel calm.
I was escorted to a place by the boy. During the journey to our destination, curiosity prompted me to ask, "Why are you helping me?"
However, the boy's answer only confused me further. There was something hidden behind his words, a confusion of his own that felt suspended in the air, as if there was a secret yet to be revealed.
We finally introduced ourselves to each other. The boy who helped me introduced himself as Aoki Sora—a name that sounded so light and calm, like a morning breeze sweeping through the leaves.
Then, there was a tall and sturdy boy, with a rather serious expression, who turned out to be named Tetsu.
The little girl walking beside them, with a flat and cold yet mysterious stride, introduced herself as Ajisai, like a flower blooming amidst greenery, giving a different impression despite her young age.
After walking for a while, we finally reached our destination. Before us lay a village hidden behind the dense trees of the forest, like a world tightly guarded.
We were stopped by two adult men guarding the entrance to the village. They looked vigilant, as if this village was not a place to be entered lightly.
Aoki explained our situation in a soft yet confident voice, and after listening to his explanation, the two guards nodded slowly, opening the way for us to enter.
The two entrance guards were named Yachi and Zekai. Mr. Yachi, with his sturdy build and stern face, led us through the quiet village. Our steps felt heavy, as if we were in a forest far from the outside world. Night began to fall, and the air grew colder as we approached a wooden house located at the end of the road.
The wooden house looked worn, with small windows tightly shut, giving the impression that it had long been forgotten. However, there was something intriguing about the place—perhaps the sense of safety that flowed from the silence enveloping it.
Mr. Yachi led us inside until we arrived in front of a wooden house, and soon an old woman appeared from behind the door. The old woman's face was full of wrinkles, but her eyes were sharp and full of wisdom. She was a healer known by the villagers.
Without much conversation, the old woman began to examine my wound carefully, her skilled hands moving gently yet surely, providing a healing touch filled with knowledge.
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[Announcement: A New Novel Has Been Added!
The Puppet Maker in the World of Naruto
A man who is a scientist, researcher, and expert mechanic in robotics dies in a massive explosion that occurs in his laboratory while developing an advanced robot project. However, instead of experiencing death as he thought, the man awakens in another world—a strange place with vast stretches of desert.
There, the man is surrounded by people who can jump high, calling themselves ninjas. The confusion he initially felt grows as he realizes that this world is not unfamiliar to him. This is the world of Naruto! However, there is one thing that surprises him.
"Isn't this Sunagakure? Why am I not in Konoha? This poorest village... Oh my God, this is serious!"
Now, in the midst of a new life filled with danger and uncertainty, the scientist must find a way to survive in Sunagakure, a harsh place full of limitations. With his robotic knowledge, can the man change his fate in this ninja world, or will he fall along with the village?]
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